Summer Nights
by ZevieObsessed2012
Summary: Gravity 5 has had an amazing summer before they return to school for their junior year. All that aside, it's nice to have some downtime with friends, especially on those perfect summer nights. Returning from a long hiatus with a small one-shot to break the ice!


**Author's Note: Hey, lovelies! I know I've been "on hiatus" for a few years now! Can't believe it's really been that long! Honestly, I've missed writing for How to Rock and I've missed writing in general. I've been working on some original stories that I hope to start selling someday, but we'll see about that! Anyway, to apologize for disappearing on so many of you lovely readers, have a sweet, short one-shot! ~ ZevieObsessed**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own How to Rock**

There was exactly one week of summer vacation left, and although Gravity 5 were having the time of their lives performing all kinds of live shows around their city, the gnawing reminder that summer was—once again—coming to a close was as stressful as ever.

If they weren't shopping for new school clothes, it was for something much worse: _school supplies._ Well, at least they had a few more summers of reckless fun ahead of them! Junior year was more exciting for Gravity 5 because seniority in high school was a major step-up for everyone's game, and in the next year they would all be seniors. Gravity 5 would run the school! Well, then again, so might the Perfs— _as usual._

However, Kacey Simon and her friends refused to stay under Molly and gang's glossy heels. The Perfs were going to have tougher competition this year. Kacey, Zander, Stevie, Kevin and Nelson were going to make sure of that.

It was nearing eleven-thirty one summer night, and after performing for Zander's aunt's birthday party, Gravity 5 were hanging around a park nearby. Secluded in a particularly dark area with only the humid air and chirping of crickets all around, they were giddily neglecting the fact that they were technically trespassing on state-owned property. Although the park had closed hours before, it wasn't uncommon for teenagers to find their ways into the park, usually after the rangers had done their patrols.

At the very least, their small circle was not breaking any other major rules, such as no alcohol and/or illegal substances in their possession. Stevie and Kacey were sprawled out on the grass, though Kacey was more reluctant that rough-and-tough Stevie to get her white shorts all dirtied up. Zander sat atop one of the large rocks in his usual tapered jeans and casual flannel. Though not even the moon was out, he had his favorite aviators on and a ukulele in hand. He didn't need any light to see where his fingers needed to be. He plucked at his ukulele peacefully, absently.

Kevin and Nelson were, of course, playing the newest Furious Pigeons Go game, like many other kids their age. It was a game where you were required to visit real life places and take out Furious Pigeons using animated darts on the screen. It had brought Gravity 5 to the park this late, in fact, and although Kevin had taken out the furious pigeon before a bitter Nelson had, they were really having a fun time.

After Kacey had sworn she felt something crawling up her shorts she had jumped up and started flailing around screaming. Stevie, rustled from her spot on the ground next to Kacey, decided to get up before she was stepped on by a frantic Kacey, and moved to sit beside Zander who was still lazily strumming his ukulele; however, he was eager to stop playing at her sudden presence beside him. They engaged in a few rounds of thumb-war of which Zander lost every time.

When Kacey finally calmed down, she seated herself on a nearby rock and sighed heavily. The fast-approaching school year was really starting to bum her out. At one point, Kacey loved going to school. When she was a Perf, that is. She loved her popularity, but fell quickly down the social chain when she joined Gravity 5. Although they were beloved by most of their peers, Kacey couldn't help but feel some resentment toward school. She would rather spend all her time away from school with her friends than in school with them. Not that she was at all embarrassed by them, because she had to admit they were pretty awesome, but their collective dream of playing live shows for sold out audiences sounded _way cooler_ than school!

"We have to make these last few years of high school the best ones yet," Kacey said suddenly, catching the attention of her friends.

"Like we weren't already thinking of that!" Stevie snorted, but her tone was lighthearted.

Kacey smiled and shook her head.

"I don't think you really get what I mean," she said then, her voice more serious now, "We have to make these last few years _count._ We all have one dream, right? We can't let any doors close on us. If we want to be the next big thing we have to really work for it now. We have to be better than we already are!"

"Kacey's right," Zander said matter-of-factly. He was always a little dramatically serious, but that's what made him lovable to his friends. He began to strum on his ukulele again, but this time Kevin provided body percussion and Stevie provided backup vocals for Kacey who kept up with Zander's endless playing. Any song he could play Gravity 5 kept up with.

Their fun was quickly put to a stop, though, when they saw headlights approaching from the other side of the field. It was the path the rangers took during the night. Stevie's hand was holding the fretboard of Zander's ukulele to silence it which quickly shut him up, and Kacey, Nelson and Kevin all fell silent. The only sound the five of them heard was the tires rumbling on the gravel and their own heavy breathing.

They weren't sure if they should start running or not, but they all stood in their places until the headlights passed by the field without any indication that they were in serious trouble. When the headlights were finally out of sight, the five teens burst into relieved giggles at their apparent get-away. It was then a mutual decision to get out of there. After all, Nelson's and Kevin's phones had been silent for almost half an hour at that point.

"Let's get out of here you guys," Stevie laughed, moving away from the rocks in the opposite direction of the way they came. She had left her flannel shirt somewhere in the field when she and Kacey had been lying down. The fact that all she wore underneath was a teal spaghetti strap top meant she was likely to have earned herself a few mosquito bites through the night.

"What do you guys say tomorrow we flash mob at the mall?" Zander suggested as they walked down the quiet neighborhoods.

Stevie, Kacey and Zander were the last three left since Kevin had practically been living with Nelson since the start of summer and they had walked the two home. Stevie playfully rolled her eyes at Zander's suggestion. It hadn't been the first time he brought the idea up, but since Stevie had a job there to maintain and Zander was not well-liked by one of the mall cops in particular, she continued to reject the idea. Kacey had been on-board with it, but she didn't have a job to maintain, and she was used to being carried out of the mall, though it never stopped her from going back.

Zander and Kacey bid Stevie goodnight when they arrived at her house. She was certain her parents had little concern about her staying out so late since they knew who she was always with, but her brothers stood in the front doorway, acting a lot like overbearing parents. Bombarding Stevie with all kinds of questions as to where she was, she shot her friends an apologetic look before shutting the door on them.

As for Kacey and Zander, they lived the closest to one another, and although Zander had to backtrack after getting Kacey home safely, it was the least he could do for a friend. For any of his friends, really.

When he got home he sent a single message to the Gravity 5 group chat:

 _So was that a "no" for the flash mob idea?_

 **Author's Note: A lot shorter than I was hoping for, but wow! After the immense writer's block I've been feeling for a very long time, this was really nice to write. Although I don't really plan on continuing any of my older fan fictions, there is a good chance I may** _ **rewrite**_ **some of them! I'm a little embarrassed by my 2012 self! Haha. Maybe my 2016 self will do a much better job?!**


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